As part of his "Andrea Bocelli Live in Concert" series, featuring a world-class cast including the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, conductor Carlo Bernini, and guest soprano Francesca Dotto. This was the second time Alex had been asked to perform with the Italian Tenor before the tour continued to Ireland and finished at the London 02 Arena.
‘I was honoured to be invited to sing as part of the backing vocals/choir. Performing alongside such an internationally celebrated operatic artist was a dream come true.’
This dream could have easily been a nightmare as rehearsal time was extremely limited before the performance:
‘We were given our sheet music just one day before the show and had only one rehearsal, but the level of professionalism in the team made it possible to deliver something really special. The conductor Carlo Bernini praised our work, and we hope the audience felt the same energy and joy we did on stage. It was a truly magical experience with a fantastic team.’
However, instead of focusing on her own successes, Principal Alex found herself thinking of her students at Stagecoach:
‘What made this moment even more meaningful to me is how it connects to my everyday passion, leading Stagecoach Performing Arts schools in East Manchester, Halifax, Huddersfield, and Holmfirth. I’ve been a singing teacher and choir master for many years, first in Ukraine, and for the past 12 years here in the UK. Being a Stagecoach Principal is more than just a job, it’s a privilege. Every week, I get to witness incredible transformations in our students. I see shy children grow into confident performers, hesitant speakers become expressive storytellers, and young people discover joy, purpose, and belief in themselves. Those are the moments that stay with me.’
Principal Alex wishes all children could have a chance to experience the thrill of being on stage as well as all the other life skills Stagecoach has to offer:
‘Stagecoach nurtures not just performing arts skills, but resilience, creativity, communication, and leadership, tools that help our students thrive in every area of life. Watching children light up on stage (and off) reminds me of why I began this journey in the first place.
‘I’m so proud of our brilliant teaching teams and the positive impact we make across Manchester and West Yorkshire. We’d love for more families to discover Stagecoach and experience what we offer. Who knows, maybe one of our students will be on that CO-OP Live Arena stage in the future!’
Stagecoach Performing Arts has a proud history of helping children and young people build confidence and life skills. Over the past 36 years, more than one million students worldwide have benefited from its creative programmes. With a network of 60,000 students and 3,000 schools globally, Stagecoach empowers children with “Creative Courage for Life,” inspiring countless students to pursue their dreams in the performing arts.
For more information about Stagecoach Performing East Manchester, please visit eastmanchester@stagecoach.co.uk or call principal Alex Antonova on 07539 627971.